Whaddaya Think?

Tom Neven’s latest post on the BoundlessLine talks about glorifying God though our work. Vocation. This is something I fight with myself about all the time – does simply being a good engineer really please God? Don’t I have to be engineering aquaducts for a third world country (aka somewhere in Africa) to be living like a Christian should?

Caught in the Middle…east.

Israel and her surrounding territories have been a subject of fascination of mine for quite a while. Even before my real life as a Christ follower, I found myself enthralled with the drama, both political and and otherwise, that plays out in that tiny piece of earth. I wrote papers on the PLO, Hamas and Arafat….then I began to really study scripture, and discovered prophecy related to the middle east and Jerusalem. Too good to be true! (But, it is true.) There was even more to discover about this region – a story that was already written and is now playing out before our eyes every day on CNN.

Enter the author of my latest read, Joel Rosenberg.

Rosenberg’s spent much of his career heavily involved in the political arena, speech writing, and working for various US and Israeli government officials. He is a Messianic Jew, and also happens to have a knack for writing uncanny political thrillers that seem to come true. Case in point….in September 2001 he was about to publish a book about Islamic terrorists crashing an airplane into a sky scraper in Denver. We all know what happened after that…and needless to say The Last Jihad was delayed. The books that followed were also seemed to “predict” future events. How does he do this, and where does he get his material?

Rosenberg is a student of scripture, and has poured over prophecies contained in Ezekiel 37-39 about the war of Gog and Magog. He uses his understanding of this portion of scripture and the world players it refers to to write with uncanny accuracy about the middle east, specifically Jerusalem, Israel, which he calls the “epicenter” of world events. ( Rosenberg also points out that many specifics are left out of Ezekiel’s prophecy, and that the stories he writes are NOT the only way events may happen. He takes what is laid out in the prophecy, and fashions a real world scenario in which they may occur. )

Enter my latest read, Epicenter.

This book, catering to every angle of my personal reading preferences, is a mix of prophecy and present/future headlines. Joel focuses on Russia, Iran, and Israel with the “third lens of scripture.” In this work of non-fiction, he relates current political tensions in the area to prophecy, and gives insight on what is happening, and may happen in next. Things to pay attention to include:

• Israel finding large quantities of oil
• Russia and Iran forming nuclear ties
• Russia’s increasingly “czarist” rule
• Babylon’s resurgence
• …many others…

While not a book to hold up and treat as prophecy in itself, Rosenberg’s knowledge of the region and political climate uncover what I would not have, and his connections to prominent figures in the middle east are astounding. It is a book I would recommend for anyone interesting in understanding more of what is happening in the most volatile area in the world.

When Darkness Will Not Lift

As a tween and teen, I suffered with bouts of mild to moderate depression.  I’d hazard to guess that I am not unique in this.  Even now I have blue days, sometimes weeks, as do many others, even within the body of Christ.  What makes the difference for me now is my relationship with Jesus.  Stormy seas and dry rocky places are not unfamilliar to him.

When Darkness Will Not Lift: Doing What We Can While We Wait for God – and Joy by John Piper is 73 .pdf pages long.  Yes, that’s right, no paper copy for me this time.  I read this e-book during work down time.  (E-books are much more convenient in the workplace…though paper copy is still my preference..another post for another time.)

What first grabbed me about this book was the title byline: “Doing what we can…”  What always had gripped me about depression was the feeling of helplessess in the midst of it.  You are sad, blue, and there’s nothing you can do.  (So you think.)  We should do what we can do. “And doing is often God’s appointed remedy for despair,” (p. 45).  So, immediately I was encouraged and reminded that there is something to be done rather than sit in self-absorbed self-pity.  And intrigued enough to keep reading.

One of the most important is learning to fight for joy like a justified sinner. I call this “gutsy guilt,” … learning to live on the rock-solid truth of what happened for us when Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again from the dead. (p.14)

Piper asserts that this foundation is essential in finding joy in all situations; not allowing our sinful nature to distract and condemn us.  He goes on to explain the difference between justification and sanctification, and how both are only accomplished through faith, and of no merit of our own.  Understanding these things is essential – having Christ as the gold standard takes the pressure off of me to perform and subsequently disappoint.  Christ never disappoints, and the gifts of faith and grace justify me, and change my heart.  The focus is off of me, and on Him. The meat and potatoes of the book consists of discussion on a range of topics, helpful for those who struggle with depression and those who want to help a loved one in their fight for joy.  Piper covers:

• the deceiving sense of lonliness
• use and non use of medication
• the danger of unconfessed sin
• beign active in seeking joy
• fighting self-centeredness

…and many other subtopics related to these.  I’d like to share a quote or two and related thoughts from a few of these sections so that you can get the gist of Piper’s thoughts.

Piper does not come down on one side or the other of the medication question, but instead directs the sufferer (or their loved ones) to seek out a well educated Christian physician to direct them in this area.  He quotes many such expert opinions on the matter, and does not pass judgement himself.  Medication for depression seems to be a polarizing issue in Christian circles, but Piper diffuses this tension by reminding all that Christ is capable of covering even poor medical decisions. 

…if someone reading this book is on medication, or is thinking about it, I do not condemn you for that, nor does the Bible. It may or may not be the best course of action. I commend you to the wisdom of a God-centered, Bible-saturated medical doctor. If there was imperfection in the choice to use medication, the imputed righteousness of Christ will swallow it up as you rest in him. (p.30-31)

Feelings of lonliness and faithlessness must be combated with a full understanding of God’s love and “gutsy guilt” that I referenced earlier.  Piper quotes many of David’s psalms about being stuck in a pit, waiting patiently, and being alone.  When darkness seems to overshadow us, we are not alone, and not out of the sight of our God.

Our faith rises and falls. It has degrees. But our security does not rise and fall. It has no degrees. We must persevere in faith.  (p. 37-38)

[We must] know that we can be safe in Jesus, even when we have lost sight of our own sincerity. The witness of the Holy Spirit that we are the children of God (Rom. 8:16) may be clear or faint. But the reality is unshakable. “God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’” (2 Tim. 2:19). “God is faithful, by whom you were called” (1 Cor. 1:9).  (p. 39)

This is one of the most refreshing and encouraging books I’ve read in a long while.  God used it to speak to me, point out self-centered tendancies, and remind me to fight for joy.  Fight with everything I’ve got.  It forced me to take a long hard look at my emotional state, and repent of a lot of attitudes and ways of thinking.  Piper’s reliance on scripture made me follow his book back to the Bible for context and references.  Overall, I think I have a better understanding of how to combat the blues with Truth, knowing that I’m already victorious, even when I don’t “feel it.”

If you struggle with long periods of depression or blue feelings, or you know someone who does, and would like a copy of this book, please contact me for the link.  I’d be happy to share it with you, and also to pray for you and your situation.

Updike Inspirations

Still processing a defining moment teaching from my pastor, I haven’t much to say today.  More later, perhaps.  So I would like to share a good find, which feeds both my scientific and poetic nature.  And the two are really the same.  Whoa.

“Seven Stanzas at Easter” by John Updike

Don’t eat my puppy.

Foxnews.com reported, today, that a python stalked a small dog over the course of a few days, and finally killed and ate it in front of two terrified children. 

See the full article here: Python stalked….

The animal handler who finally came to retrieve the python said, “The family that owned the dog had actually seen it in the dog’s bed, which was a sign it was out to get it…They should have called me then.”

What?!  They had seen it before and done nothing about it?

Reminds me of the garden, and a couple of people who messed with a snake in a tree. 

It is like sin creeping into your life.  You see it, and you should deal with it right that moment.  But you hesitate, and you lose track of it, and think, “Aww, gee…it wasn’t so bad having that sin in my life.  It’s probably gone now.”  Right.  A few days later, *CHOMP*.  Now you’re in some deep trouble.  Trouble which could have been avoided if we would take care of our sin, repent, and RUN away from it right away.

But if we pretend it’s not there…we’re asking for it.  This time poor “fluffy” paid for his owners hesitation.  It could have been them, or their children.  Man..I don’t want my sin messing me up, but especially messing with other people.

Search me, God!  Help me deal with my sin quickly, laying it humbly at your feet to wipe away.  Keep me from falling for the tricks of a lying snake. 

Jesus the Subversive

I read an article entitled “Subversive Jesus and His Trojan Horse” by Glenn Packiam today on boundless.com.  It pricked at my heart…

I’d encourage you to link back and read the whole article, but if you won’t, at least consider this exerpt:

For all the blessings, opportunities, healings, miracles, provisions, protections, and stability that He [Jesus] has given you, there’s one thing that He values more, one thing that He would trade all of the above for: you.

And that’s precisely what makes our faith in Christ so unexpectedly subversive to our own agenda. This faith that we’ve embraced, this Life that we have taken into our hearts, will be our undoing. And it means to be that. It’s designed to be the end of us. The Jesus I’ve come to see and know at work in my life is the One who comes to undermine my own small-minded and wrong-headed plans. He is the Trojan Horse of blessing that we readily welcome into our hearts without knowing His mission to destroy us. For He has not come to bring peace, but a sword. This is the subversive Christ.

But this subversion is the means to His ends. In our death, we find His life. In our surrender, we find His sovereignty.

Sovereignty is an attribute of God I am seeking to grasp more fully, and this article has provoked more thought and prayer for me.  What do you think?